Right too many crazy things happen with that stat. Meszaros leads the league with a +28, 4 points ahead of the next player. He was -14 last year which ranked him 3rd worst on his team, that’s like Moen leading the NHL in goals next year. Hard to value a stat where a player can go from 3rd worst on a team to leading the league in one year.

Samething was said about the Oilers before they won the cup also;) if you recall. I would like to see what moves they make trade deadline day. Could be pieces to put them over the top. I hope the Habs do a few things as they could make some noise in the playoffs also.

” Not everyone can afford a brilliant stock advisor like storm”. TripleX 01/25/2011.20:16

In the case of a player like Jonas Gustavsson, yes. In a case like Nabakov or Wellwood, no.

Veterans have played under wage scales, operating under the current system, and paid their dues in the NHL when it comes to fighting for roster spots.

So, veterans should be able to sign where they want unless they’ve walked away from a team while under contract. Rookies, or players under the age of 26 or 25 who come over from Europe or College should have to pass through waivers.

Their group of defensemen take naps in the playoffs, their goaltender crumbles under the pressure and their scorers disappear. The travel requirements for them in the playoffs on the heels of an 82 games schedule don’t help either.

I like a lot of their pieces, but I’m afraid that too many of them don’t fit.

Let’s use as an example… Kyle Wellwood. He was signed by St. Louis, but as he went through waivers, San Jose picked him up. St. Louis is frustrated, but San Jose gets what they want (for whatever reason is beyond me, but that’s beside the point).

Let’s say that Wellwood was picked up by… Edmonton. Welwood publicly says: “No way, I’m never playing for Edmonton, you can forget it, you’re worse than a pile of mouldering dogmeat. I signed with the Blues, and my heart says ‘go there.'”

What’s to be done? Does Edmonton put its tail between its legs and meekly place Wellwood back on waivers? Then if San Jose picks him up and Wellwood says “Oh, actually, maybe I’ll go there instead,” who looks worse? Does Edmonton hold onto him and suspend him?

I know that there is a question of ‘solidarity’ amongst GMs, with the occasional backstabbing that goes on in the business world, but wouldn’t it be a bad precedent to set to allow players to dictate where they go (when they’re not UFAs)? Like the captain of a ship allowing back-talk on the quarterdeck. It can only lead to distaster.

His sense of entitlement when it comes to playing for a contender is both humorous and ironic considering a team let him go because they couldn’t get over the hump with him as their goaltender. They’re struggling without him now though.

I won’t disagree with you on those items, but I will point out that those are all things that can be countered by a team playing well in it’s own end, like the Habs did for him late last season and into the playoffs. Again, he’ll never be elite, but there’s no reason for him to be costing his team wins.

Lol. Maybe. Not intentionally, though. I’ve been saying the same thing for months. I don’t think takeways are as important, since a lot of voters understand that those numbers are very subjective, and vary depending on the building where the stats are being recorded. Faceoffs are a lot more black and white.

Pyatt’s role is to be a very effective penalty killer and to play some defensively responsible minutes 5 on 5. Very limited.

Moen’ expected to do much the same, but he’s also expected to be physical and go to the net in the offensive zone.

I don’t disagree with you that everyone has to be part of the machine on a Martin team. But, your suggestion that every part of that machine is identical and that “Everybody is expected to play the same game on this team” is an oversimplification.

Everyone has to defensively responsible and everyone is expected not to take penalties unnecessarily, but everyone is not expected to play exactly the same.

I’m suggesting that if White can play his game without letting his emotions force him into stupid penalties he MAY have a role. MAY.